Aer Pro Kit Review

The Aer Pro line has already knocked our socks off on multiple occasions, and we’re hoping that we’re about to be swept off our feet again. However, upon initial inspection, we’re curious about what exactly we’re supposed to use the Aer Pro Kit for. Let’s dive in and find out!

External Components

The primary material on the Pro Kit is recycled, bluesign®-approved 840D CORDURA® nylon. It feels durable, looks sleek, and holds its shape fairly well. This isn’t anything new; we’re used to seeing high-quality materials on Aer products.

There’s an Aer logo on the top of the kit’s front face. It’s black, so it blends in with our black colorway while adding a friendly sophistication to the pouch. We aren’t a fan of noticeable logos; however, this one makes the bag feel less naked.

All the zippers on the Pro Kit are from YKK. They work well, and we dig the pulls. We’ve seen these before, but they work just as well here as on a larger daypack or travel backpack.

There’s a loop on the top left-hand side of the bag. You can attach the kit to things using this or use it as a carry handle. You can hold it without the loop because it isn’t huge. It’s an excellent size to fit inside a smaller bag and has no issue working inside a travel backpack. For those with smaller hands, the loop might be the easiest way to carry it.

The bottom of the kit is flat, which assists in it standing on its own. Depending on how you pack it, adding weight to certain places might make it topple over, but we’ll get into that later.

Apart from that, there isn’t much happening concerning features on the exterior of the Aer Pro Kit. It’s sleek, stylish, and blends in with most packs you could carry. There aren’t any options to add a pop of color, which might be a bummer for some users. However, everything goes with black, right?

Inside The Kit

The Pro Kit has a large opening that feels similar to the clamshell style of a travel backpack. However you want to categorize it, this thing opens wide, giving you access to all your gear, which we dig. Because it spreads so wide, you can leave it standing up with the flap lying flat, making it a unique desk companion at home or the coffee shop. In our experience, this thing operates well as a tech pouch or as a plain organizer for surplus gear inside your pack.

There are two elastic loops at the top of the flap. They’re very tight but still stretchy enough to stow gear inside. This is a good spot for a pen, stylus, or similarly-sized items. Super long things might not fit because the pouch isn’t super wide.

Below that, there’s a zippered pocket crafted from stretchy mesh. Because of this, you can put larger items inside, and it’s a solid spot to lock down gear you don’t want bouncing around otherwise. It’s large enough to stow bigger items you might typically just set free inside, which we dig.

Apart from the elastic loops and the zippered pocket, that’s all that’s going on with the flap. On the other side, there’s an exciting design.

Typically, on gear like this, a skinny liner pocket on the back wall allows you to stow a small tablet or an e-reader like a Kindle. On the Pro Kit, this isn’t the case. There’s a pocket back there, but it has more depth, so you can stow more gear. This unique design enables you to open the kit and have it sitting on your desk without all your little bits and bobs falling out. If you want to stow a tablet back here, you can, but it doesn’t feel like it’s meant for that use.

The space is triangle-shaped; there’s more space on the bottom than on the top, making it easier for smaller gear to get lost in the mix. We recommend putting tiny accessories elsewhere and stowing larger items here.

The material that typically serves as the front of a device pocket is instead a divider and includes organization, too. There’s a zippered pocket to stow items you don’t want bouncing around the main compartment or the larger area we just went over and two stretchy mesh pockets. The latter is an excellent spot to stow larger items like a minimalist wallet or mouse.

There isn’t much depth between the divider and the flap because most of that space is taken up by the large area we covered in detail earlier. However, there is enough space here to stow larger items or things you want quick access to at work or the airport.

If you place too much weight in the back compartment, the kit can topple over, depending on how it’s dispersed. We found this fairly hard to accomplish, but it is possible and worth noting. After all, who wants to spill their gear all over the coffee shop?

Overall, we really dig using this thing. The organization is intuitive, thoughtful, and feels new. Plus, it doesn’t feel bogged down by the segmentation that we’re praising it for. Getting gear is quick and easy, which is essential. It’s excellent to pop in to grab something and leave it open on the table at the coffee shop, hotel, or airport floor. Let’s be honest; we’ve all been there!